Transformations
by woolly.hat
Summary: AU! Written for a request by MrHawkPrime - Snow gets a nasty injury and only Bigby can help her manage the consequences of it! Slight violence and there will be a bit of romance on the cards too! Please review and let me know what you think!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome! This is a story requested by Mrhawkprime - if you have anything you'd like me to try and write just send me a message :) I hope it's up to scratch!**

**Please review and enjoy!**

Snow White brushed a stray lock of ebony hair out of her face and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Glancing at the clock that sat on her desk she couldn't believe it was already 8pm! She shot a look at her to-do pile and was pleased to see it was almost at the halfway mark. Considering that a win for the day she stretched and began to shuffle papers into an organised pile, until they looked slightly neater. She did love her job as Deputy Mayor, she could really bury herself in work which left very little time for thinking about anything else, but sometimes, when her back went stiff and her head ached she wished she had something else to distract her.

Her mind wandered to the Sheriff as she stacked a pile of his messy paperwork to one side, ready for the morning. He was often a distraction, although she did feel rather fond of him, so he was a welcome one at least. She could never let him be more than a colleague, but she was allowed to think about him from time to time surely? She smiled a little until she heard a shattering of glass somewhere among the shelves behind her, and she rolled her eyes wondering what Bufkin could possibly be up to now. "Bufkin, that better not be anything expensive!" she called as she roamed between the books and artefacts that filled the giant business office. She called for the little calamity on wings again, but received no response, so she delved deeper, as the tinkling of glass and scraping of wood grew louder. She rounded a shelf to find a man in a ski mask climbing up the shelves reaching around for something.

"May I help you with something?" Snow called loudly, making the intruder jump and drop to the floor in front of her. "I think you had better show me who you are before this gets any worse" she said, folding her arms across her chest and tapping her heeled shoe on the cold cobbles. The masked man shook his head and she started towards him, reaching out to pull of the mask. Suddenly he pulled a knife from his belt and swiped at her, making her jump back in surprise. She looked around for something to defend herself with, but came up empty and she slowly backed away from the attacker. "Look, if you just leave, this doesn't have to get any worse" she reasoned, but he stepped towards her, shaking his head again. She swiped a few heavy books from the nearest shelf and threw them at him, tearing off through the aisles as he followed closely behind. She called out for Bufkin again, but nobody answered and suddenly he was right behind her, grabbing at her ponytail dragging her to the floor. She kicked and punched at him as much as she could as he towered over her struggling to get the shiny blade out of his hands. He jabbed towards her stomach and she managed to catch the blade between her palms, she felt her skin tear and burn as she sharp metal catch and he pulled back stabbing again, this time planting the blade firmly in her shoulder and she screamed as pain tore through her body. Her vision went white as shock coursed through her veins, but she could hear him curse and his heavy boots thundered out of the business office, slamming the door behind him.

Sobbing in agony, she pulled the blade out with blood-soaked hands and shook violently, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. The coppery smell of blood filled her nose and overwhelmed her as she tried to push herself to sitting. Her body felt heavy as she dragged herself over to her desk and pulled herself, very slowly to her feet. Sticking the knife into her jacket pocket, she presses a hand to her shoulder and stumbled out of the Business Office, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. As she almost fell into the lift, she couldn't help but notice the terrible stench from the carpet, and she could hear the cables and motors clanking loudly around her. She closed her eyes and tried to block it out, but with little success, until thankfully the doors slid open and she groaned as she hugged the wall, lurching towards Bigby's door.

To her surprise, his door opened before she reached it, a look of confusion on his face. "Are you alright Snow, I thought I could smell...blood?" He ran to her as she slumped on the wall and he gathered her into his arms. "Hey! Hey! Don't panic, I've got you" he said as her eyes lolled and she whimpered. "I'll call Swineheart and we'll get you fixed up" he said soothingly and carried her into his apartment, placing her gently onto his shabby blue sofa. He peeled off her jacket and grabbed an old shirt of his, helping her to press it to her shoulder as he wrapped her free hand in a clean cloth he managed to hunt down.

"A quick call to Swineheart and you'll be good as new" he continued and began dialling for the good doctor. He paced around the room until he finally answered, demanding he come over as soon as possible to help Snow White. "She's been stabbed? With what?" the doctor asked, and Bigby rolled his eyes snapping, "A _knife _probably?" Snow suddenly moaned and motioned for her jacket. He lifted it off of the floor and the knife fell out with a heavy thud, and his voice died in his throat. "Actually it's quite a specific knife" he mumbled as Swineheart pushed him to elaborate, "It looks quite a lot like the lycanthropy knife she used on me..." Swineheart was silent for a moment. "I'll be with you in ten minutes" and the line went dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the update delay! I'm trying to plan ahead with this story so it might take a while as I want to get it right! Hope you enjoy and I'll see you at the next one! Comments are always welcome!**

Snow's head was pounding. She gritted her teeth and Swineheart poked and prodded at her shoulder until he eventually decided to sew up the wound, which he did with nimble fingers. Bigby had planted himself in the wooden chair across from her, his arms folded across his chest lost in thought, his eyes occasionally flicking up to look at her then back to the carpet, his brows furrowed. Bigby had provided her with a shirt to cover her upper half, which she now pulled tightly to her body, not sure if the shivering was due to cold or shock. Swineheart finally broke the silence that had descended over the apartment like a fog, "The wound should heal soon enough, and your hands will be back to normal, there may be a scar or two..." She glanced at the intricate handle and sharp blade that was smothered in her blood. "I don't care about scars Doctor... I'm more concerned about the effects of the knife on the rest of my body." The doctor sighed and leant against Bigby's table, "I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure. You don't seem to have had any reaction to it at all; perhaps the knife lost its powers once it was used on Bigby?"

Snow looked at Bigby who seemed to be deep in thought and she cleared her throat a little to grab his attention. He huffed and rubbed his tired eyes finally looking at her properly. "My transformation was instant right?" she nodded and he shrugged a little. "Well you don't seem to be any hairier...maybe Doc's right?" She rolled her eyes and glanced at her bandaged hands. "That's not good enough for me...I need to know for certain, one way or another." She glared at both of them and even Swineheart seemed a little nervous of her. "Perhaps the Sheriff could provide you with more insight than I can? From a medical position you are going to make a full recovery. All I can recommend at this juncture is rest." She nodded at him and he collected his case, gave them both a polite farewell and left the apartment.

Snow and Bigby stared at each other for a moment until he smiled, "Fancy a beer? I remembered to put them in the fridge for once. You look like you could do with a drink." She nodded and he headed out to the kitchen as she adjusted his shirt around her, fixing as many buttons as she could. She was still a little shaky. "I can't believe this has happened. Who could be so stupid as to try and rob the Business Office whilst I'm still inside it?" Bigby handed her a cold bottle and pulled his chair so he was sitting closer to her, his legs crossed and his expression serious. "Did you get a look at him? Any defining features, smells, anything?" She closed her eyes and replayed the event in her mind, but nothing stood out. Shaking her head she looked at him again. "He was wearing a ski mask and dressed completely in black. Brown eyes, which doesn't really narrow anything down. I'm sorry...I'm not a very good eye witness." He reached out and patted her knee, "Don't worry about it. These sorts of morons can't help but give themselves away. We'll fix it." She placed a bandaged hand on his and smiled a little.

They sat for a moment and she willed herself to relax a little. She was not going to transform into a wolf at any second then. That was a relief! She sipped on her beer and grimaced a little as the yeasty smell assaulted her nose, holding it away from her she inhaled deeply, trying to clear her mind of the smell. All she found was a mixture of blood, sweat and cigarettes that permeated the room around her. "Do you think you could open a window? It's a bit heavy in here?" He raised an eyebrow as she shivered a little but he obliged, leaving his bottle on the floor. As the air from New York flooded into the apartment she felt sick as the breeze that normally refreshed her, made her head swim. "Are you alright?" Bigby's voice called to her from a distance as she leaned on the arm of the shabby blue chair. "It must just be the shock of it all" she mumbled, "Everything stinks." She tried to open her eyes but it felt as though they were glued together, her body was rocking as if she were being thrown around at sea. She finally felt Bigby's hands on her cheeks, and she began to steady. His familiar scent of huff n' puffs and something else that she had always liked, began to push out the other smells in the room and her head began to clear. When she opened her eyes finally her eyes met his brown ones and she blinked a few times to clear the fog. His hands didn't move from her face and although normally this intrusion would have been unacceptable to her, she was glad just to have something steady to focus on. "Everything smells? What do you mean exactly?" He was so serious it almost scared her. "I don't know. I just feel as though I can smell _everything_. It's just a little overwhelming... Maybe I should have avoided the beer?" He released his grip on her arms and sighed heavily, his eyes still fixed on hers. "What kind of things can you smell? Describe it to me" he said quietly and she slowly sniffed the air again. "I can smell cigarettes, but that's nothing new. I can smell the yeast in this beer...the takeout box in your kitchen...plus some pretty nasty odours from outside, like exhaust fumes and garbage." She fidgeted a little and avoided his eyes. "I can smell...you" she said quickly and blushed a little but his face betrayed nothing and he continued to look concerned.

He stood and paced around his tiny apartment, and she missed his steadying hands, if only for a second. "What's the matter?" She said although she felt pretty confident she knew what he was thinking. "You know how I pretty much chain smoke all day long? It's not because I am particularly enamoured with smelling like an ashtray, it's to block out the constant assault on my nose that this bloody city launches on it every second of the day." She shook her head, partly in sympathy but also in denial. She didn't want him to say anymore, she couldn't let it be true. "As a wolf...my senses are much stronger so I can smell things that others don't pick up on..." She shook her head again more furtively and her voice was trembling. "Bigby it can't be! I can't be a...wolf!" He knelt down and took her hands once more, squeezing them gently, "It doesn't necessarily mean you are a wolf, maybe you just have a few of the traits?" She scoffed and shook her head, "When is life _ever_ that easy?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again everyone! I thought they could do with a bit of a field trip which could be interesting to say the least!  
Enjoy and please let me know what you think! x**

_This stinks. Quite literally. _

Snow was waiting impatiently in the lobby for Bigby to appear as she watched Grimble continue to nap at the front desk of the Woodland's Building. A week had passed since the attack in the Business Office and her condition had grown steadily worse. Her nose constantly ached from the overpowering smells, she could barely sleep at night from all the sounds emanating from the city that really didn't ever seem to sleep, and more worryingly, when she did finally get to sleep, she would awaken from terrible nightmares with a prickling sensation all over her skin, that made her wonder if she was perhaps a little hairier than she was when she went to bed. She had refused to start smoking, insisting that she could get through it without it, but as the days past she was dying for some kind of break from it all.

"I have an idea...if you're interested?" Bigby had said quietly one afternoon as they sifted through paperwork together. She glanced up at him, rubbing her nose for the hundredth time that day, "I'm all ears" she joked and continued sorting through the files. "I've been dealing with this for a pretty long time; I could help you if you like? We could leave the city and get some fresher air too. That always helps me..." He trailed off as she stared at him and then shoved a few sheets of paper into a folder, "Or maybe not" he said quickly, trying to find a cigarette. She was a little shocked at the idea, but it did make good sense. Perhaps it was just the idea of a getaway with Bigby that made her nervous? After letting him sweat it out for a few more moments she smiled a little. "You would do that for me?" She wasn't sure why, but she could almost feel the relief wash over him and he smiled back at her. "Of course, it'll finally give me a chance to repay the favour. Plus we could probably do with a break from all of this crap" he said motioning at the scattered paperwork.

So there it was. She had agreed to go away with the Sheriff on some kind of training session/retreat and there was nothing she could do now to get out of it. He had mentioned something about camping which made her increasingly more nervous but she focused on the idea that she might actually be able to get some clean air into her lungs for a change. The elevator pinged and Snow recognised Bigby's scent before the doors had even opened. She hadn't mentioned that to Bigby before but she wondered if it was normal that one person's scent was more vivid than others? Maybe she would ask him some other time? She hiked her backpack higher up on her shoulder and tried to ignore how good he looked in a plaid shirt and jeans. _He looks like a lumberjack! Although he might not appreciate the comparison_, she thought and smiled at him. "Ready to go?" he said and she rolled her eyes, "For the past 15 minutes Bigby, now can we please get out of here?"

A few hours later she was driving them through the rugged landscape of West Virginia. The plane ride had been horrifying what with all the clanking that she could hear, although she was glad Bigby seemed to be just as unhappy with the whole situation, as it made her feel like slightly less of a wuss. Now they were driving through endless forests and hilly ranges she felt a little more at ease. It was a warm summer day and they had both rolled their windows down fully, inhaling the fresh air, enjoying the breeze that whipped through the car. After an hour or so of driving, Bigby managed to direct her to a little dirt track which they followed for a while, the canopy of trees blocking out the sun as they delved further into the forest. "Where the hell are we going?" She said at last, and he chuckled, "Just keep driving and we should reach a clearing in the next few minutes." She slowed the Jeep down as she manoeuvred through ditches and around overgrown branches and shrubbery until the car burst thorough into brilliant sunshine. She gasped at the view and stopped the car, parking up and switching off the rumbling engine. She grinned at Bigby then jumped out of the car as quickly as are stiff limbs would let her.

They were at the top of a hill, that was covered in lush green grass. Across the way she could see part of a river that was running behind a bank of thick shrubbery. The entire scene was bathed in glorious sunshine and she wondered if she had accidentally stepped into a painting. Taking a deep breath she laughed as she could only smell pollen and grass. No taxi cabs or cheap takeout's for miles around to harass her. She could hear birds chirping and the odd splash from the river down below them but it was so quiet and peaceful it felt like she was in some kind of glass bubble. She turned to look at Bigby who had finally clambered out of the car, stretching his stiff arms and legs. "This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen!" she said "How on Earth did you ever find this place?" He chuckled and stood next to her on the top of the hill, sighing as he too seemed to relish the fresh air. "I sort of stumbled on it by accident as I went trekking a couple of decades ago. The Mundy's seem to have left it alone, so I kept coming back." She stretched her arms up into the air and sighed with relief, "I can't say I blame you..."

They grabbed their bags from the car and slowly made their way down the hill to the flatter field area a few meters from the banks of the river. She laughed as he got into a small altercation with the tent but her laughter quickly died down when she realised there was only one. "I'm going to sleep outside Snow! Don't be so suspicious all the time!" he said as she blushed with embarrassment, "Sorry...I didn't think of that before. I didn't mean to sound so accusing..." He chuckled and chucked a sleeping bag to her and she grinned tossing it back at his head while he wasn't looking, pleased when it landed with a satisfying thuwmp. As the sun began to dip behind the trees Snow set up a little campfire as Bigby had vanished into the trees to find them some kind of dinner. She had flatly refused to embrace that possible side of herself although she watched with unconcealed interest as Bigby morphed from behind the tent from into a huge black wolf. He gave her a toothy grin and padded off happily into the thick trees, disappearing with a swish of his great tail. He was gone for some time, but she figured this was as much a holiday for him as it was for her so she was in no mood to hurry him. Instead she sat by her little camp fire and pulled out a book from her backpack.

It was a fairly simple looking textbook about wolves and she quickly glanced around to make sure Bigby was nowhere in sight. She figured she might as well do a little research of her own into what she might be up against until Swineheart or Frau Totenkinder could maybe find a solution to this dilemma. Flicking through the sections she wasn't really sure what she was looking for, so she picked a chapter at random and after a while came to the assumption that Bigby was definitely as 'Self-Assertive' wolf. She skipped over the chapters relating to mating although she did find herself wanting to coo at little pictures of wolf cubs, wondering what Bigby must have looked like as a little pup. She was engrossed in a chapter about howling when she detected Bigby's scent and a mixture of blood too. She grimaced a little and dropped the book at her feet and stood up, searching the area for a sign of him until he emerged suddenly from the trees with a deer hanging from his mouth. His tail was wagging and he trotted towards her, and she didn't need a textbook to tell her how proud he was of himself. She laughed as he dropped the carcass a few meters away from her and stood there panting. "Wow. That's very impressive Gaffer" she said smiling and walked over to him to inspect his prize. His tail thudded against the grass, suddenly realising just how huge he was as he towered over her. She suddenly had an overwhelming urge to bury her whole face into his soft looking fur, but she resisted and worried what exactly was happening to her brain.

She managed to cook herself some venison over the campfire as Bigby tucked into what she had left over, which was essentially an entire deer. She felt so relaxed as they chatted about nothing and the sky changed from pale pink to inky blue and a few stars began emerging overhead. "Do you feel better?" Bigby said after he had washed his muzzle off in the river and sat nearer to the fire, stretching his great body out and watching her through yellow eyes. "Hmm much better. I never realised how hard it must be for you, living in the city all this time. I could barely last a week! Why do you put up with it?" His ears twitched a little as she looked up at him and he huffed a little. "I don't mind it that much...and who else is going to sort out all those unruly Fables?" He said with a hint of amusement in his deep voice. After a moment of silence she shook her head a little, "Well I wish I had known how bad it was...but I'm grateful that you're here." She smiled and he dipped his head a little in acknowledgement watching as her eyes drifted skywards. "It's getting late...I might turn in for the night if that's alright with you?" He nodded again and she pulled herself to standing and strode across their little campsite. As she passed him she reached out a hand and ran her fingers through the thick hair just below his jaw, "Thank you Bigby, I really appreciate all of this" she said and headed off into her tent. Snuggling under the sleeping bag she barely closed her eyes before she was fast asleep.

_She was engulfed in another mixture of smells and vivid blurs that made her toss and turn in the night. She felt constricted and hot as she chased an unknown entity through a forest unable to catch up to it. Suddenly she felt as though her prey had begun to stalk her through the woods instead so she ran frantically, until she came to a clearing with a little house in the middle. Running inside she felt instant dread as she began to relive her childhood nightmares. She screamed but instead it came out as a howl, and the faces and visions from the past tried to suffocate her._

She woke with a start, tears streaming down her face the odd prickling sensation washing over her skin. She fought with the sleeping bag until she managed to extract herself from it and she tore the zip up letting the cool air flood into the tent. She sat there shivering for a moment when she heard a low huffing noise from outside. "I'm alright" she whispered "Just a bad dream." She watched as a giant nose prodded into the tent and was followed by a huge wolf head. His ears were pressed to his head and his yellow eyes were big and full of concern. She felt so embarrassed, as the idea of Bigby or anyone for that matter, seeing her in this state. She pressed her hand against his soft forehead and scratched his ears, and smiled weakly at him. "You howled..." he said as he wiggled his head a little as she continued to scratch him, "do you want to talk about it?" She glanced at him then averted her eyes and patted his head. "No. I'm fine, I think I just overheated. Go back to sleep Bigby." He nudged her hand and his nose accidentally brushed her cheek and hair, making her skin erupt with goose bumps in an altogether pleasant sensation. She stroked his chin once more and he left her again. She watched as his back planted firmly across the door to the tent and she felt a little relieved that she could rely on him to keep her safe. Lying back on her pillow she stared at the roof of the tent for a while, until she realized her cheek was still a little damp from his nose and she smiled a little as she ran her hand across her cheek and closed her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the super slow update! I have been away for a few weeks but I have managed to get a bit of writing done and I have a more solid plan for this story now so the updates should be much more frequent...please forgive me! Hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think :) xxx**

Snow woke the next morning feeling like she'd slept for a century, something she hadn't felt for a long time. _Probably all this fresh air_ she thought as she combed her hair roughly and eyed the opening of her tent. Poking her head out she found Bigby in his human form flicking through her textbooks. _Crap! Why didn't I take it in the tent with me!?  
_  
She stumbled out of the tent with very little elegance and rushed over to where he was sitting, totally unsure of how mad he was going to be with her. He had watched her slowly plant herself on the floor in front of him and then pointedly went back to reading the chapter he was on. "This is pretty interesting reading" he said shortly and she wanted to cringe, "you would rather read a book about wolves than trust me to help you?" Her eyes widened in shock and she swore she could actually feel his hurt swirling around her head. "Of course not! I trust you more than anyone!" His featured softened a little from the stony wall he had put up and she leaned forward a little and took the offending book from his hands, snapping it shut and tossing it on top of the charred remains of last night's fire. "I'm sorry Bigby...it was inconsiderate of me. Can you forgive me?" She reached out and squeezed his hand with her cool fingers and he was unable to resist her smile. He nodded and they managed to pass the morning in higher spirits than they had started with.

Snow spent the morning firing questions at Bigby at an alarming rate as they hiked around the woods that surrounded their campsite. She was sure most of them didn't really apply to her as she had shown no sign of transformations but she felt his mood increase by the minute as he described the finer points of life as a wolf. After a few hours they stopped for rest by a river bank and refuelled. In between questions Bigby had been testing Snow's new senses, could she pick out certain scents, what she could hear in the distance and so on. As she drained a bottle of water he stared into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. "Something on your mind Wolf-man?" she said as she repacked her little rucksack which was much lighter now that lunch had been eaten. He snapped awake from his daze and looked at her for a moment. "I think you should try morphing" he said slowly, as if nervous about what she might think. She fiddled with the straps on her bag and folded her arms across her chest. "I really don't think it's going to work Bigby. I'm sure it would have happened by now..." Before he could respond she began marching down the hill and back towards the campsite. "Is there something wrong with being a wolf?" He said a little breathlessly as he had to run to catch up with her angry strides. "Of course not!" She huffed, "But it's not who I am! I don't want to live like this all the time. I like working and living in the city, and I'm certainly not the hunting type!" She kept marching, unaware that he had stopped trying to catch up with her until she was a good few meters away. He looked annoyed and she bit her tongue a little, she didn't want to offend him although from the looks of things she already had.

"So having to be a man and a wolf is good enough for me, but not good enough for you? Is that it?" he said walking towards her a little. She rolled her eyes at him and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't be ridiculous Bigby! _You _had the choice to be both remember? You were more than welcome to stay as you were but you wanted to come and live with us!" He reached her and they stood almost nose to nose, "I was attacked by some lunatic and now I have to face the possibility that everything about me is going to change." She was surprised to feel tears prickling at her eyes and she spun away from him as her face flushed. His scent filled her nose again and she closed her eyes feeling completely overwhelmed by him. He sighed heavily and walked around so they were face to face again, and she looked up into his amber eyes. "I'm sorry Bigby, I just feel so helpless...I'm not really used to that feeling." She felt a stray tear fall onto her cheek and he wiped it away with a rough thumb. "I get it Snow, honest. It took a long time for me to get used to this life. I don't know if I am even now. But what I do know is that you can't keep fighting it, it just makes it harder." He wiped a few more tears away and she gave him a watery smile. "I suppose you're right as usual..." she said and huffed a little to try and steady herself as his warm hands left her cheeks and he held on to her arms. "Can I get that in writing?" He said with a small smile and squeezed her elbows. She laughed and swatted his chest hoping he wasn't aware of how much she wanted to bury her nose in his chest and hide there for as long as possible. Instead she rested her hands on his strong forearms and gently pushed him away and began to walk more slowly this time back to camp. Before his hands slipped away however she locked her arm into his and they walked quietly together until they reached the familiar campsite again.

"Ok...I guess I should try this then" she said quietly as she let her bag drop to the floor with a heavy thud. She looked at Bigby expectantly waiting for some kind of instruction and was surprised to see him flush a little. "You might want to...undress" he said thickly and he began scratching the back of his neck. She felt herself flush a little but she couldn't help giggling at his discomfort and she kept chuckling until she was on the other side of the tent. "Turn around then!" She said as she began undressing, keeping both eyes on the back of the Sheriff's head ready to duck if he got any funny ideas. She felt a cool breeze float over her and she felt utterly moronic standing naked in the middle of a field so she held her shirt over her upper half. "Ok I'm ready; you can turn around but don't try peeking!" He chuckled but he seemed more uncomfortable about it that she did. His eyes cemented themselves on her face and she got the feeling he was trying very hard not to look anywhere else. Straightening the shirt a little more she shrugged her shoulders. "So what now? Is there a trick to this?" He thought for a moment and then started pacing around the blackened ash of the fire. He had obviously never had to explain what came so naturally to him before, but she was getting colder by the second. Finally he turned to her and said, "Close your eyes." She raised an eyebrow but relented, willing to give almost anything a try. "Try and imagine yourself as a wolf. Maybe imagine hunting something or just running through the woods. That normally works for me."

She jammed her eyes shut tighter and did as he said but she felt nothing except the growing cold and the odd prickling sensation that washed over her skin. She suddenly felt an ache in her legs and she crouched slowly down to the ground, trying to relieve the tension in her muscles. She let the shirt fall and rested her hands on the ground and tried to focus on the image and her breathing. She suddenly felt a wave of heat wash over her and her head felt like it was swimming. She was vaguely aware of Bigby talking to her but she couldn't process what he was saying. She tried to open her eyes again but her vision was just white until she felt herself come into contact with the soft earth beneath her and suddenly it was over.

When she woke the sky above her was a soft purple, and completely clear of clouds. She must have been asleep for hours! Bigby suddenly appeared next to her, his face full of concern although he seemed relieved that she was awake at least. "Did it work?" she said with a groggy voice as she slowly tried to sit up, remembering at the last moment that she was naked under the blanket he had wrapped around her and she held it tightly to her chest. "Yes. But not particularly well as you can probably gather" he said and handed her bottle of water as she inspected her arms which were still as pale and human-looking as before. "So what happened?" She said after a long gulp and he began scratching the back of his neck again, which he normally reserved for when he had to tell her bad news at work. "Spill it wolf-man" she said and readjusted her blanket so she could sit up straight. He got up and collected her clothes and began to describe how she had passed out and the following hours she had spent morphing between wolf and human form and how he had been unable to wake her the entire time. She felt so guilty for making him worry, but even more concerned at the state she had been in. "I can't believe it...Did that happen to you ever?" He shook his head and began working on the fire as she slowly dressed herself. "Not that I'm aware of. Although if it only happens during sleep, who knows..." She slowly got to her feet and took a few wobbly steps around the fire and stretched her aching muscles. "Was I as big as you?" she said, grinning a little and he couldn't help but chuckle at her. "It takes a lot of eating to get as big as the Big Bad Wolf...but you had much prettier fur." She smiled and sat next to him watching the fire grow slowly larger as it engulfed her little book that she had thrown on their earlier that morning. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed as she looked at her sheriff, clearly lost in thought. "We have to leave tomorrow...I don't know how much I've learnt about being a wolf but it's been nice to have a break." He smiled a little and began cooking another meal for her, which he had obviously hunted and prepared all the time she had been asleep. "I can't say it's been the most relaxing..." he started and she whacked his arm gently, "but anything is better than those stale Chinese takeout boxes." She nodded and nudged him a little, "You know, if you cleaned your apartment that would probably go away Bigby..."

They spent another pleasant evening chatting and eating, and Snow was surprised to find herself dreading going home the next day. She had never spent this much time alone with the sheriff and she would never have expected to become so comfortable with him. She knew it would have to stop when they got home, the pressures of work kept her safe from having to deal with relationships and she was sure Bigby felt the same. She often thought about his outburst after he thought she had died, and even her own feelings at nearly losing him seem to have propelled them closer together, but it would just be too complicated she was sure. She suddenly felt compelled to ask him what she had been holding back on for the past few weeks. "Bigby? Why can I smell you more than others?" He raised his eyebrows suddenly in surprise, but quickly lowered them as if to feign confusion. "It's probably just my cigarettes" he said with a non-committal shrug, but if she had looked at him properly, she would have noticed his eyes brightening a little and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Instead she stared more intently at the flames and shook her head. "No it's not that. It's like I can tell how you can feel just through your smell...is that insane?" She finally looked at him and he just smiled at her. "It's just a wolf thing. If there is another wolf or person even that you have an affinity with...or whatever then their scent is sometimes a bit stronger." She stared at him in disbelief and suddenly wished she had kept her stupid mouth shut. _I have an affinity or whatever with Bigby? _She eyed him suspiciously as he began chewing on a hunk of meat, obviously trying to avoid her glare. "What about you?" He looked around as if she could have been talking to anyone else and he brushed the air trying to wave off her question. "I don't know Snow, it's hard to say." She was getting mad now. "Bigby, don't leave me sitting here feeling like a fool. Tell me the truth or I'll make you suffer." She could tell he wasn't too sure whether she was joking or not so he chucked the last of his dinner into the fire and wiped his hands on his shorts, trying to ignore how nervous he clearly was. "Jesus Christ Snow..." he muttered but she just waited for his answer, trying to ignore the odd feeling in her stomach like a balloon was being inflated and this pressure was going to make her burst. He took and deep breath and looked at her with quite a fierce stare that took her by surprise, but not as much as his answer did.

"It's you, Snow. From the minute we met it was always you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again! Just a quick message to say thank you to all the readers and people who left reviews! They are really appreciated :)  
Hope you enjoy this next chapter xxx  
**

After staring at Bigby for a painfully long moment Snow jumped to her feet. She had no idea exactly what she was doing, but if this camping trip had taught her anything, it was to trust her instincts. This was too confusing. He said she could smell his feelings and sense him more than others because there was some kind of connection between them, but now he's telling her that he's felt like that since they_ met_? She wasn't going to deny to herself that she had some feelings for Bigby, but they were_ her_ feelings, kept private and protected. She was happy that way, much less opportunity for disappointment and heartbreak.

But for him to have feelings for her was impossible. Sure she had been closer to him that most other Fables, but that didn't mean much. She was cold and distant and never once encouraged this kind of behaviour! If her past had taught her anything it was to rely on herself and she would be just fine. The second she started letting other people in she would be hurt and there was no way she was letting that happen again. She realised she was pacing around the fire and she caught sight of the blanket she had been wrapped in. She sighed a little as she thought of his concerned face when she had awoken. Or when he had brushed her tears away that afternoon. She shut her eyes and remembered standing in his tiny kitchen, the words "I'd never leave you" rumbled in that reassuring tone of his. She was an idiot. How did she not see it before?

She realised she had been having a little monologue in her head for quite some time, all the while Bigby had been watching her, waiting for a response. She had no idea what she was going to say but it seemed Bigby was already prepared for the worst as he rose to his feet. "Snow its fine...I shouldn't have said anything." He smiled weakly and she thought her heart was going to break just looking at him. "I need a bit of air" he said and she started towards him trying to figure out what it was she needed to say to him. "Bigby please!" He waved her off and headed out towards the forest, the area around them was pitch black and all of a sudden he was gone.

His scent still lingered a little but it made her feel guilty and sad, not like the usual comfort she normally felt. She slowly sat back down next to the fire and stared at it, wondering how this could be fixed or had she just lost her Sheriff. She wiped her cheeks finding tears had been rolling down them freely. This wouldn't do. She had to talk to Bigby and tell him...what? She certainly didn't want to lose him. He was the only person she could really rely on. That's what terrified her of pursuing the feelings she knew she had for him. What if it all went wrong? Then she'd have nothing and she'd spend another hundred years or so picking up whatever was left of her heart again.

She rubbed her fingers in circles around her temples and tried to shake off the impending headache she could feel growing. Then she began to wonder. What if it all went right? She had no idea what exactly _that_ would be like but she didn't hate the idea. A night out in the Mundy once in a while, not having to bury herself in work because there was someone to go home to? She suddenly imagined Bigby in her apartment, sitting on her couch smiling at her and she couldn't help but smile back. It would take her a while to settle in to the relationship and they'd have to go slowly...but it made her feel happy, now she knew how he felt. The darkness pressed all around her and she wondered where Bigby was. A chill ran down her spine so she retreated into the tent and firmly pulled the zipper down to the bottom, hoping she would be safe, praying he wasn't too far away if she needed him. As she drifted off she smiled knowing he would always be there if she needed him.

* * *

Her dreams were punctuated with odd events that she couldn't quite grasp. Her wolf senses messed with her mind as she chased unknown prey through forests, digging deep into the thick earth, desperately trying to find what she was hunting. She felt endlessly hot as though she were trapped in a fever, jumping from one dream to another, wishing she could work out which reality was real. As she began to wake she could hear birds chirping, and she felt cold and stiff despite the warm sleeping bag. Then she became painfully aware she didn't have the sleeping bag and when she slowly opened her eyes she became found that she wasn't even in the tent anymore. Not daring to move, she glanced around the area and found she was quite alone; her body face down on the hard ground of the forest. Groaning, she pushed herself up suddenly realising there was a reason why her limbs felt foreign to her. Her hands had turned into paws, covered in shiny black fur, a tail swished somewhere behind her and as she looked down her nose; it had become a rather impressive snout. She tried to back away from it all, panting and whining a little but there was no way she was getting out of this dream. Her tail thumped into a tree behind her and she spent a moment chasing it, until she realised how ridiculous she must have looked and grinded to a halt.

She tried to remember what she had learnt about finding your way and using the environment, but her mind was blank as she stared around it this unknown part of the woods. All she could smell was her own panic and she began running downhill, no idea what she was going to do. Her paws carried her quickly this way and that until she was even more disorientated then when she woke up. She ran until she reached a small pond and looked around but it was still and quiet as the morning continued on. Tentatively, she padded over to the water's edge and peered over, emitting a gasp as she saw her reflection. Her bright blue eyes had remained the same, and Bigby was right, her glossy black fur shone in the sunlight making her look quite pretty, but she couldn't believe she was looking at herself! She was looking so intently at herself that her nose touched the water, making her jump backwards, pawing at her damp nose and shaking her head a little. She plonked down and her tail began beating on the ground with impatience. This was stupid, she needed to sort herself out or she would be spending the rest of her days lost in these woods.

She needed to find Bigby. He had probably returned to the campsite and found that she wasn't there. Even if he had managed to track her down to where she slept, her running around had probably held him up at least a little. She closed her eyes and tried to smell any scent of him on the wind, but kept getting distracted by the rumble in her stomach. Eventually she gave up and began trotting slowly through the trees, until she spotted something that made her feel very strange. A little rabbit was snuffling among some fallen leaves less than 20 meters away. Snow froze and tried to reason with herself that there was no way she could eat a rabbit just like that, but somewhat independently she had crouched low to the ground and felt herself get ready to pounce.

"You'll never catch anything like that!" The rabbit jumped about a foot in the air then high-tailed it into the undergrowth as Snow felt herself relax her pose and spin around. She felt a little cross, but it dissipated as she turned and saw Bigby towering above her, his tail wagging and his big yellow eyes fixed on her. "Where did you appear from?" She said a little nervously, but she stood square on her paws and met his gaze. "Just because you run around like a tornado doesn't mean the rest of us are incapable of a little stealth." She was tempted to argue with him all day on the matter, but all she could think was how pleased she was to see him again and that he was talking to her. She slowly padded forward, her tail pointing skyward and she ran her cheek along his leg. "Thanks for finding me." He huffed in a way she could only interpret as a gruff kind of 'you're welcome' and then she began pacing around in front of him. "So it would seem I've become a wolf at last. Good thing it didn't happen on the plane home right?" To her surprise he looked a little embarrassed, "Listen, I'm sorry you had to wake up alone like that, I shouldn't have left." She shook her head; she didn't want to get into it now. "Bigby it's alright, we have a lot to talk about but let's just sort this one step at a time." His head cocked a little and his tail wagged even more vigour sly as she spoke and she grinned at him.

They wandered through the forest, and although she was adapting surprisingly well to her four legs, she was a little worried that this might be a permanent thing, which was going to be a problem for her. As she walked she tried to imagine herself human again, but every time she opened her eyes, she was still being followed by her own tail. Eventually she gave up and huffed a little watching her feet. "It'll be ok Snow, we'll think of something..." Bigby said softly and she looked up at him and tried to convey a sense of gratitude towards him. After a few moments of silence she said, "Can you always tell how I'm feeling?" He nodded and looked at her, slowing almost to a halt. "I try not to. I don't want to invade your privacy...but you surround me all the time. It's quite hard to ignore Snow." She stopped walking too and sat down, her blue eyes peering up at him. "That would have freaked me out before but now...I felt like I was doing that to you and I know how hard it can be to block out that...scent. You must have been out of your mind to stay you old mutt" she chuckled and he nudged her with his giant snout. "Hey! Nobody nudges Snow White!" Bigby laughed and nudged her again. "Snow White better not start calling me a mutt!"

They laughed but suddenly Bigby's head shot up. "I've got an idea! We might be able to put you right after all!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again! Things take a turn here as Snow decides her fate! Does Bigby's plan work or will she be a wolf forever?  
Read on to find out more!**

They were back at the campsite by the time Bigby had gone over his plan with her. She was a little doubtful and also filled with panic as she couldn't seem to even change back into a woman on her own, let alone with some magic chant. She had been trying to concentrate on morphing but it was no good - she needed something more compelling to help her make the switch.

"So you just have to say my name three times and I'm cured?" Snow said, rather sceptically "But I say your name all the time, why haven't you switched back?" Bigby scratched his chin and clicked his tongue a little. "It's probably because I'm a real wolf, not a werewolf...and maybe I have a secret middle name I never told you about." They grinned at each other and Snow stood square in front of him, her bushy black tail swishing noisily behind her. She tried to steady it, trying not to give away her emotions, but then she remembered he had a pretty good idea about those already. He started talking to her about the possible consequences of what they were about to try but she was barely listening - even with her elevated sense of hearing.

She was still trying to interpret these scents he gave off around her, but she had a pretty good idea what they were trying to tell her. She had sensed his hurt and his happiness all in one weekend but the underlying scent was something that felt altogether foreign and yet completely reassuring to her at the same time. It wasn't just attraction - it was love. Unwavering and totally reliable, he was in love with her. She breathed deeply and let him fill up her entire mind, and she suddenly felt afraid of losing that scent she had slowly gotten used to. That's probably why he had never left either; the scent of the person you loved was worth a few whiffs of New York when it came down to it.

"I'll try the German version first but don't worry if it doesn't take...we can always try it in English too...Snow? Are you listening?" She blinked a few times and nodded at him as he stood in front of her. "Ready to go?" She mumbled, trying to find the words but he was already ahead of her. He fixed her with an intent stare that quelled her mumbling and he spoke, in his low rumble.

"_Schneewittchen_"

She was startled by the sudden gust of wind that ran through the woods, making her feel like shivering. She felt trapped and her heart started pounding in her chest. Why was she having second thoughts?

"_Schneewittchen_"

What would it matter if she wasn't a wolf anymore? She could still be with him if she wanted to...and she did want to. If she went back to Snow White, things would be just like normal but for some reason that didn't fill her with as much happiness as she thought it would. But if she stayed this way, she would have this bond with Bigby that made her heart flip over a little. It would take some management but the thought of losing it was almost too horrible to bear. If only she could get herself back into human form!

"_Schneewit_-"

"Stop! Don't finish it!" She lunged forward, all her efforts into stopping him from saying another word. She felt a rush of energy sweep over her body and what was warm fur, became cool skin once more. She had already wrapped her arms around Bigby and was half sobbing into the crook of his neck. "I've changed my mind! Please don't finish it!" It was safe to say that Bigby was flabbergasted, to have a naked Snow White clinging to his shirt, but he gingerly wrapped his arm around her, making sure his hands weren't heading anywhere inappropriate and looked far into the distance until she eventually looked up to meet his gaze. "What's going on Snow?" He said as she shook her head, sniffling a little. "I...I don't know Bigby. I just couldn't bear the thought of losing you...going back to normal." He chuckled at her and ran his hand through her hair briefly as she blinked up at him, her heart still pounding. "Snow, you could never_ lose_ me. Besides I thought you wanted to go back to normal?" She fiddled a little with the fabric of his black vest and chuckled despite herself. "I don't think I understood what it all meant then. And I think I finally realised why you stayed. It was for me right?" He nodded and she felt his arm press against her just a little closer. "You're all around me and I couldn't live the rest of my life without you there. I'll figure out this wolf thing as long as you promise to help me work it out too?"

She caught just a flicker of a smile as he tilted her chin towards his and placed a soft kiss on her lips, making her feel a little lightheaded. "I promise" he said quietly and she closed her eyes and sighed with relief. Suddenly she began to giggle as she became very aware of just how nude she was. "Do you think you could find me some clothes Bigby?"

* * *

After a few months Snow had finally managed to settle in to her new skin. They had kept her little transformations a secret from the rest of Fabletown so as to not cause alarm, although there was a rumour going around that Snow had actually growled at Bluebeard, but nobody could confirm it. The smells were still hard to manage but now she wasn't trying to ignore Bigby's scent, it became a lot more bearable to live in the middle of New York. That was something they hadn't bothered to keep secret. Not that she was the type to flaunt her relationships in anybody's face, she just didn't think there was much point, given that Bigby was pretty useless at hiding his beaming smile every time he walked past the lines of disgruntled fables to drop off a coffee to her each morning.

Today was no different as she picked up his scent that was followed by his arrival shortly after. He grinned and perched on the edge of her desk. "Are there many out there today" she said as he handed her a huge latte and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Only two so far, but they can wait for just a moment, I haven't kissed you for a while." She tried to look serious but her eyes lit up a little and a smile tugged at her lips. "You kissed me this morning Sheriff" her voice was quiet and she shifted a little, her head filled with the scent of him, all nervous and excited at the same time. "But that was ages ago...Besides, I've got a lot of catching up to do." They drifted towards each other, the heady scent of passion and love swirled around them until their lips finally met, her fingers stroking along his recently shaven face, a five o'clock shadow already gathering at 8:30 in the morning, while he pinched her chin between his thumb and finger.

They broke away finally and he buried his nose briefly in her hair and she heard him take a deep breath, making her chuckle but promptly inhale the scent of him from wherever she could reach. "Well that should last me 'till lunchtime" he muttered and they walked hand in hand to the door of her office, and she watched as he tried to stifle a yawn, failing miserably. "Did I keep you awake last night?" she said, her voice filled with guilt as he shook his head, another yawn following rapidly behind the first. "You were a little restless" he smiled as he pulled her closer to him, "and your tail kept tickling me" she thumped his chest but he pecked her cheek with a kiss, "but it didn't bother me in the slightest. It was nice to see you like that. Kind of made me wish we were back in the woods again."

She smiled and kissed him when they heard a loud rapping on the glass, and Jack's loud voice called out, "Stop snogging your girlfriend Sheriff, these Fables need some assistance!" Snow groaned while Bigby growled but she grabbed his hands before he could turn Jack into a punch bag and pulled him back towards her. "I think we could find some room in the calendar for a...recon mission? You just have to promise me you won't hit Jack." He debated for a moment, but after a quick scowl at the door he nodded and kissed her nose. He yanked open the door and Snow quickly ushered the first complaining Fable, but she heard over the din a low growl from her sheriff who was dragging the perpetual troublemaker towards his office. "You can tell me all your problems Jack; I'm on orders to make sure you're looked after."

As Snow shut the door she could have sworn she heard Jack gulp...but surely her hearing wasn't that good?

* * *

**I'm not sure whether to continue this story so I would love some input from you guys!  
I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for reading! And thanks to MrHawkPrime for the original request!**

**If you have any requests or stories you would like to see please drop me a PM!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who left response, I really wasn't expecting that level of support so big squishy hugs to all of you :) I am going to continue and incorporate a few suggestions left by guests (if that was you let me know!) and I've planned ahead with it that so I'm happy to carry on.**

**We pick up about two months after the last chapter and the Snigby ship is still going strong!**

**Hopefully I won't disappoint! Please enjoy and let me know what you think as it's always appreciated 3**  
**xxx**

Snow was having a very rare, very pleasant dream when she was rudely awoken by a ringing phone. She cracked her eye open and had to take a moment to remember where she was. She could feel two very heavy arms wrapped around her, legs tangled around hers and the warm, steady breath of the sheriff gently caressing the crook of her neck.

The phone trilled again and he growled a little in his sleep, "...office is closed..." before she nudged him slightly and he stirred a little more."Are you going to answer that?" She whispered as his arms squeezed her a little tighter. "No...You get it" he mumbled into her shoulder and she exhaled a little laugh. "It's your phone...it might be something important." He groaned again eventually extracted his limbs from hers and shuffled from the bed to the hateful phone. She lay on the mattress that had been squeezed into the tiny apartment and propped herself onto her elbow and watched him in the darkness.

She thanked the gods for her new, keener night vision as he lent, naked against the wall, muttering down the line at whoever had intruded on their peaceful slumber. She probably should have been listening to what he was talking about but her eyes trailed from his chiselled chin, down to his broad (and comfortable) chest, all the way down to his...

He slammed the phone down, snapping her back to reality, hoping against hope he couldn't tell what she'd been thinking about. "What's the matter?" She tried to ask casually as she took hold of his hand, locking her fingers with his and pulling him back to bed. He sighed as he perched on the edge of the mattress and she lent her chin on his shoulder, watching as he ran a rough hand over his tired face. "There's been a murder...quite grisly it would seem. I better get going before the Mundy police get involved..." She quickly planted a kiss to his shoulder, then to his cheek and started climbing out of bed herself. "What are you doing?" He said surprised as she started rifling through drawers for some clean clothes. "Well I'm coming with you obviously. I can't just lay here a miss you, that's hardly very productive." He took a breath as if to start arguing with her, but seemed to think better of it. He chuckled a little, gave her a peck on the cheek and started getting himself ready too.

* * *

Just twenty minutes later they were pacing through some rougher streets of New York City, Bigby chuffing away at a huff 'n' puff, his free hand wrapped tightly around Snow's. She could sense his apprehension as to what they might find, and she had to admit she was nervous too. 'Grisly' was not her favourite word in the entire English language but she remembered she'd seen much worse and steeled herself for what might lie in store. She was no wuss.

She was about to ask him something when a smell hit her nose that caught her quite of guard. The coppery smell of blood was wafting around them and both of them stopped in their tracks, Bigby's hand squeezing ever tighter on hers. "You can go back if you like?" he muttered and quickly glanced at her. She grimaced but shook her head, "just breathe through our mouths right? I'll be fine." She squeezed his hand back and they carried on walking towards the scene.

All of a sudden a tall man stepped out from an alleyway and regarded the two of them for a moment, pausing briefly on their interlocked hands. "That took you long enough Sheriff. But maybe Miss White couldn't find your leash?" It was all Snow could do to drag Bigby away from the man, her tightening hand the only warning she could give to stop him from doing anything stupid. "Perhaps Bluebeard, you could just show us what you've discovered?" Snow interjected and stepped slightly in front of Bigby to stop him from adding a fresh new crime scene to their evening. Bluebeard gave a sneering look at her and turned on his heel, leading them down into an alleyway.

The stench was almost overwhelming here and Snow tried to focus her efforts on breathing through her mouth again as she watched Bigby take a walk around the alleyway towards the body, which was slumped against the wall. He could have been sleeping if it hadn't have been for the copious amounts of blood that was plastered over his blue shirt and Bigby only spent a minute or two examining the body, before he straightened up again and started examining the floor around the man's feet.

"Do you recognise him? Is he a Fable?" It took her a moment before she realised he was talking to her and she carefully walked towards the body and crouched down in front of him. "He doesn't look familiar - but we are in Fabletown territory, he could be one of the Prince's?" Bigby nodded at the information and continued to look around, pausing briefly to examine a fresh cigarette stub. She walked over to him, and he showed he in more detail. "That smells like your brand. I didn't think anyone else smoked these" she said and their eyes met briefly, and he grinned a little at her. "I assure you, I have an alibi." He pocketed the stub and she turned to face Bluebeard, who was regarding them with an air of annoyance.

"Would you care to tell us how you discovered the body?" Snow said, folding her arms across her chest. Bluebeard shrugged and mirrored her actions, defensively. "I was coming home from a...meeting when I heard a scuffle. I was one the opposite corner of the street when I saw a young man take flight back towards Fabletown I suppose. I took a quick look down here and saw the blood. The man was moaning...said something about a good witch and an evil wind or some nonsense. But he died before he could add anything useful."

Snow scowled at Bluebeard but said nothing. She looked at Bigby who looked incredibly sceptical and said raised his eyebrows, "who were you meeting at this hour?" Snow could have sworn she heard Bluebeard's breath catch in his throat and his reply seemed a little strained. "Just a friend. It's really not important!" Bigby tutted and she Snow sensed amusement from the sheriff, which seemed highly inappropriate. "Well I need someone to corroborate your story...otherwise I'm going to start looking at you. And trust me...you don't want that." A muscle Bluebeard's jaw flexed a little until he heaved a sigh and pulled out a piece of paper from his trouser pocket, the size of a business card. He tinged pink and thrust it into Bigby's waiting hand. "She's a Mundy...that's her address. She'll be busy for the rest of the evening..."

Snow bit the inside of her cheek and tried not to scream at the man in front of her. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. "You'd better not be getting up to your old tricks" Bigby growled as he studied the information on the card briefly, before sliding it into his pocket with the rest of his evidence. Bluebeard tutted and started muttering something about 'upstanding citizen' that made Bigby bark a laugh at him. Unable to bear the tension anymore Snow cleared her throat and stood between them again. "Perhaps I should call Swineheart and see if he can help transport the body away. I think if he was talking about witches and things we can assume he's one of ours for now. Thank you for your help Bluebeard, we can take it from here."

But Bluebeard wasn't listening to her. He was staring at the trash can that stood, overflowing next to the poor man. She glanced at him and tried to follow his line of sight until she saw something that made her heart drop. "Bigby..." she breathed as she pointed to the floor near the man's cold hand. Tucked behind the bin, shining like the sun even in the darkness of the alley was the last thing she or Bigby could ever want to see.

A trumpet. Gleaming cruelly at them, apart from the very fresh blood that coated a large part of the instrument. Bigby pulled it out from its hiding place and examined it; his face was whiter than a sheet. He held it out and she took it from him, trying to ignore her shaking hands. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, and yet she had seen this trumpet almost every day for the past two months. Bluebeard began to chuckle, low at first until he was almost beside himself with mirth.

"Looks like your Little Boy Blue has really grown up!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello! Just a quick thank you to the guest who left that super speedy review! Glad you enjoyed it! And of course to everyone else who read and reviewed too it means a lot :)**

**I'm sorry if this chapter feels a little slow but I needed to make sure we have a good starting point before the fun really starts! Hopefully you'll still enjoy it and you're looking forward to the next installment!**

**xxx**

Once Swineheart had taken the body away from the crime scene Snow and Bigby were left with a lot to think about. She couldn't believe that Blue was involved but, as Bluebeard had gleefully pointed out, that was most definitely his trumpet. She could sense the same disbelief from the sheriff but there was no way they could ignore this key piece of evidence.

"Snow, I want you to head back to The Woodlands and bring Blue down to the Business Office. We need to have a little chat...and ask him to bring his trumpet." Bigby stared grimly at the empty space where the body had been and she caught him shake his head slightly. "What will you do?" She asked nervously, wishing Bluebeard would just go away for a moment. "I need to check this idiot's alibi, then I'll join you in the office and we can question Blue together."

"Oh like that's going to be fair!" Bluebeard exclaimed, casting them both a look of displeasure. "He's your golden boy; you're going to let him off the hook." Snow watched as Bigby stepped right up to Bluebeard's face, only inches away and muttered, "That's not how I do my job...now I suggest you go home before you make any more comments on how I do my job."

Bluebeard sneered a little but Snow could sense his fear, so she fixed him with a '_you'd better do what he says_' look and watched as he spun on his heel and stalked from the dimly lit alleyway. They both listened until his the click of his heels had finally drowned out and they walked back to the street together, his fingers softly brushing against the back of her hand. "Blue isn't a murderer." Snow said firmly as they glanced around the still empty street, the first rays of sun starting to illuminate the sky. Their eyes eventually locked as his hand wrapped around hers, filling her with a little more confidence.

"Then we'd better find out who is."

* * *

By the time Snow got back to the Woodland's she had played over every horrible reason Blue might have committed this foul deed but none of it added up. The only logical reason would be self-defence and if that were the case, Blue would have come to them directly. It was still early but she had to get Blue now, the suspense was killing her.

She knocked on his door and waited, unable to hear any signs of life from the other side of the door. Her palms began to sweat in a panic when she knocked again, louder this time until she heard a definite grumbling from somewhere in the apartment he shared with Flycatcher and Pinocchio.

The door swung open and revealed a small boy with a very grumpy expression on his face. "What do you want Miss White? Trouble with the Wolf?" She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Please Pinocchio; I need to speak to Blue. It's urgent." He scowled and headed back into the room and she waited, tapping her foot nervously until a dishevelled Boy Blue appeared at the door, trying to look presentable in his pyjamas.

"Miss White? What...What are you doing? Is something wrong?" He said nervously under her troubled gaze. "I need you to get dressed and come with me to the Business Office and erm...could you also bring your trumpet?" He did a double take and shared a confused glance with Pinocchio, but obeyed and rushed back into his room to get dressed.

"So...you're looking good Miss Deputy" Pinocchio drawled as he lent against the door frame while she waited, leaning against the wall of the corridor. "Shut it matchstick. It's 4am and I don't have time for your mischief." He waggled his eyebrows at her, but eventually just shrugged and muttered, "Suit yourself" as he shuffled back into the dark room.

Finally Blue appeared and was trying to flatten his blond hair with one hand, and gave her an odd smile. "This is an odd time for a music recital Miss White" he joked as they walked down towards the lifts. She smiled a little and inhaled through her nose, trying to pick up any foreign scents on him. She couldn't smell blood which was a relief but she could definitely detect a hint of cleaning products which made her feel a little tense. _What's the point of super senses if they don't tell you anything!_ She though crossly as she slammed the lift button a little harder than she should have.

"Am I...in trouble?" Blue asked nervously as they descended in the cranking lift, and his fear suddenly flooded the small enclosed space, making her feel sad and guilty all at the same time. "I'll explain it all when Bigby gets here." She said gently and finally the doors slid open and they headed into the Office together.

* * *

They were both sipping their coffees in silence when Bigby burst through the door in a rage. "I am going to _kill_ Bluebeard the next time I see him! Almost put me Mundy jail! That stupid bastard!" Snow and Blue sat wide eyed for a moment, watching as he through his rain coat onto her desk in a temper. Resisting the urge to laugh at him she stood and carefully unravelled his coat and hung it on the back of her chair, quickly inhaling his scent before getting back to business.

She approached him slowly as he huffed and tried to light up a cigarette with shaking hands. Taking the lighter from his hands, she flicked it and held it steady as he chuffed away. "What happened this time? I thought you were just going to question her?" He stomped off and began pacing around her desk, pausing momentarily to inhale some more of his smoke.

"Well I get to the address on this stupid little business card he gave me and it turns out I'm at the home of a very exclusive hooker!" Snow exhaled a steadying breath and took her seat next to Blue, who was rather enjoying seeing Bigby at odds and ends. The sheriff continued to pace around and then stopped to glare at them both, "I barged my way in and told her I was a Private Eye investigating Bluebeard and she confirms his alibi." Snow raised her eyebrows and nods a little, "Well that's something. At least we know Bluebeard's not involved and his timeline is accurate." She glanced briefly at Blue and then back to the Sheriff who was lighting up his second smoke already.

"Oh yeah that's great!" he snarled sarcastically, "That's perfect, right up until the place gets raided by the cops!" Snow and Blue both gasped simultaneously and Bigby continued growling. "I was stuck them trying to explain I was a P.I. until I finally managed to get away. I swear Snow, I am going to kill that smug asshole, and this is the last straw I swear!" Snow heaved a sigh and rubbed her temple. The caffeine hadn't made her feel anymore awake and instead given her a dull ache in her temples.

"We'll deal with him another time Bigby. He does bankroll this community remember?" Bigby looked set to interrupt but she held up a hand. "Perhaps we should tell Blue why he is here instead?" Blue shivered a little under their gazes but straightened up a little as Bigby approached. "Yeah sheriff, what's going on?"

Bigby finally managed to adopt a more professional stance and stubbed out his second cigarette. "There's been a murder kid. And our only witness is credible...as much as I hate to admit it." The colour in Blue's cheeks faded a little but he remained casual. "So what's that got to do with me?" Bigby sighed and glanced at the trumpet case sitting at Blue's feet. "Can you open that up for us?"

Blue nodded and lifted the case up to the table. "The evidence is pointing at you. We found a trumpet that looks the double to yours in the crime scene. If you have yours then we have no problem..." Bigby trailed off and Blue flicked the latches on his case and swung the case open. "If it's empty..."

There was a problem.

* * *

It was 9am and they were still sitting in the Business Office. Bigby's creased shirt sleeves were rolled up around his elbows and his hair was mussed up from constantly running his hands through it and he was sitting quietly in the seat opposite Snow's. She had her hands buried in her hair, and she was staring at the statement on her desk, Blue had written up for them. Blue was sitting next to the sheriff, his eyes a little red and his face oddly pale.

"Just go over it one more time." Bigby muttered and all three of them sighed with exhaustion.

Blue leaned back in his seat, rubbed his face and looked between the two of them. "I last had my trumpet yesterday evening. I played a gig in the Jackson Lounge; I finished at 10pm and hung around a bit to have a few drinks. I got chatting to this girl for a bit then ended up leaving alone at about 11:30." He took another deep breath and continued. "I bumped into Cinderella on the way in to the Woodlands but I don't have a clue what time that was, but she was one the way out to a party or something so I wished her good night, came home and went to bed. The next thing I know I'm being dragged down here by Miss White."

He sounded frustrated and she gave him a sympathetic look. "This is a good sign. We need to find that girl and Cindy is a good witness too. Once we get a timeline from Swineheart it should be very simple to clear Blue's name." Bigby stood up from his seat and stretched his legs a little, and Snow detected a hint of doubt in his usually comforting scent.

"Why didn't you check your trumpet? I thought it was important to you?" He spoke quietly but the hint of accusation was deafening. Blue rose to his feet and glared at the Bigby, "It was late and I was distracted! It's not like I was making a conscious effort to create an alibi last night! It was a mistake!" Blue shouted and his normally gentle demeanour cracked under the Sheriff's intense stare.

"This is a set up! Can't you see it? Why would I leave something so obviously linked to me at the murder of a man I don't even know?" Blue's cheeks were covered in angry blotches and his balled up fists were shaking with rage. Suddenly the Sheriff grinned.

"Exactly! Boy Blue, I'm arresting you on suspicion of murder!" Bigby grabbed Blue's arm and dragged him out of the Business Office, passed the growing queue of Fables who had come to complain to Snow. Snow stood nonplussed by the door and Bigby began shouting as loud as he could that Blue had the right to remain silent and the Fables in the line began murmuring with interest as they vanished out of sight.

* * *

Ten minutes later Bigby returned and managed to usher Mrs Webb, formally Miss Muffett, out of the office, shutting the door behind her. "What on Earth are you doing? You think Blue is being framed so you _arrest _him?" Snow hoped he was picking up the scent of rage from her as she glared at him, but frustratingly he just grinned more. "Naturally. If he's being framed we need to know by whom. Arresting him would be the next part of the real killer's devious plot, so I say we go along with it. Any questions?"

Snow opened and closed her mouth a few times in an attempt to argue with him but found herself unable to find fault in his theory. "Well you could have told me" she muttered quietly as he stepped a little closer to her, his hands running gently up from her hands to her arms, eventually enveloping her into a fortifying hug. "Jerk" she muttered into his shirt as she wrapped her arms around him gratefully, as he placed a kiss onto her temple.

Their little reunion was interrupted by a knock at the door, and Swineheart let himself in as they broke apart. "Ah you're both here...good." Swineheart said quietly as he walked over to Snow's desk and propped his briefcase open, pulling out a folder. "What's the news doc? Is he one of ours?" Bigby said taking the file from the doctor.

"Well yes and no" Swineheart began, "I do believe he is a Fable, but he isn't a regular. I think he may have come from the Homelands or one of them at least." Bigby and Snow shared an alarmed glance and looked back at the Doctor to elaborate. Before he could continue however a great shattering was heard a few bookshelves away. "That's probably Bufkin...excuse me while I deal with him." Snow gave a pained smile and made a start to hunt down the whirlwind on wings but suddenly they saw him soar above them and swing from one of the rafters.

"Bufkin! Get down here now! And if you're drunk I'm going to be very cross with you!" Snow hollered which cause Bufkin to fall into a fit of giggles. "We might need your help down here? If you help us, you can have the whole morning off!" She could smell the booze on his breath from the ground thanks to her heightened sense of smell, and as he swooped lower it only got stronger, making her wonder how many bottles he had consumed in the few hours he'd been in the office.

"Oh fine. I have to do _everything_ in here" he muttered as he swooped and tumbled down towards them, landing very ungracefully on the back of Snow's chair. The doctor handed Snow a few images of the body and said, "I noticed a strange symbol on his arm, perhaps Bufkin might be able to find it in your library?"

Snow, Bigby and Bufkin all peered at the picture of the strange symbol Swineheart had taken a picture of. It was a small circle with what looked like a backwards three in the centre. It meant nothing to Snow and when she looked at Bigby his expression matched her confusion. They both looked at Bufkin who had a rather strange expression on his face, his eyes rather unnaturally focused. "Do you recognise it Bufkin?" Snow said gently and he nodded slowly, his eyes not leaving the photograph.

"He's from The Land of Oz..."

* * *

**Ok very quick here! I am assuming that people reading this have read Fables and are aware of the other worlds. Also I will be making references to the spin-off _Cinderella: Fables are Forever_ so although you don't need to have read it for this story to make sense it might help! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**It's here! I'm so sorry for the delay! I've gone back to Uni and it has destroyed my free time but I have managed to find some time to update. I hope it's ok and worth waiting for! I enjoyed getting back into writing so hopefully this will encourage me to update sooner next time (please nudge me if you get bored of waiting it does help)**

**Otherwise please let me know what you think and thank you so much for being patient with me and for all the follows, favourites and reviews, it is very much appreciated :)**

**xxx **

Two days after Blue's arrest most of Fabletown was ablaze with gossip. Most couldn't believe that Blue was capable of murder and many of the details had been hidden from the public eye which made things even more salacious with the community.

Snow heard the gossip from her desk all day as people waited outside her office. She hoped in vain that she might overhear some helpful tidbit of information but so far it was just nonsense. She thought of poor Blue stuck in a cell for this horrible crime, but felt a little relief knowing she and Bigby could provide ample food and safety while he was there.

She chewed absentmindedly on her nail then began tidying up her desk, deciding she had perhaps done enough work for the day. She knew Bigby was out of the office and decided she might try to find him. Sometimes he would tease her, saying her wolf skills were waning a little so she would stalk him down and prove him wrong, which often ended in R-rated fun.

Before going on her trek she headed down to the cells and checked in on Blue. The stones echoed under her heels and she heard him shuffle around in his cell. "Blue? Everything alright?" She peeked through the little window and spied his mountain of snacks and comic books that kept him occupied.

"Hey Miss White" he said a little gloomily. "Everything's fine...I'm just feeling a little bored I guess. Has the sheriff made any progress?" She gave him a sympathetic smile and shook her head. "Not yet but he's working on it. Can I get you anything?" Blue shrugged and stared at his pile, "Maybe some visitors?"

Snow smiled and looked around then whispered, "Maybe I could send Fly to do some maintenance down here?" Blue grinned and thanked her before she left. She still felt awful but kept repeating Bigby's words to herself:

"_He's in danger and that cell is the safest place for him_"

Sighing a little she made her way back up to the lobby, and thought about her sheriff and how calm he always made her feel. Smiling a little she waved at a snoring Grimble and headed out to the blustery evening wondering where he might have gone.

* * *

Taking a chance she headed towards the main shops of Bullfinch Street and almost immediately picked up his scent and followed it to the Eggman Diner. Almost disappointed at how easy it was she was barely paying attention when she finally spotted Cindy climbing out of the booth Bigby was sitting at. They seemed to be wrapping up a conversation, which Snow strained her ears to catch what Cinderella was saying. "...Gates have opened but no idea why..." Suddenly the two of them stopped speaking and caught Snow staring at them. Awkwardly she tried to clear her face of guilt and waved at the two of them, then motioned to the bar saying she was getting a drink.

Leaning her weight on the bar she squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment hoping the ground would swallow her up before either of them could speak to her. She could practically taste the amusement coming from Bigby, knowing his eyes would be fixed on her. She ordered herself a white wine and took a sip as Cindy leant against the bar next to her. "Hey Snow! You alright?" The blonde surveyed her for a moment then began pulling on a heavy, expensive looking coat. "Yes, just had another long day" Snow said taking another sip, trying to look pained. "Oh poor you! I don't think I could _stand_ that job, selling shoes is dull enough" Cinderella sympathised and flicked her hair over her shoulder. "At least you get to shoot of to Europe when you please? Any trips coming up?" Snow asked and caught Cindy frown ever so slightly before answering, "Maybe I will, it's getting a bit dull around here anyway." Snow was pretty sure she could now smell Cindy's lies but she wasn't going to push it. They wished each other a pleasant evening, and then parted ways.

As she anticipated, Bigby was watching her closely and grinned as she made her way to his booth. "That'll teach you" he began but she just rolled her eyes at him, "I know! I'd make a terrible spy, I just wanted to know what you were talking about." She watched his hands take hold of hers and relished his warmth, giving his a squeeze of appreciation. Then with a grin he whispered, "What makes you think I wouldn't tell you?"

* * *

Apparently Cindy had run into Blue around midnight, right outside the Woodlands building. She said he was a little drunk and a bit flirtier than he usually was but he was definitely not covered in blood. "That's great then!" Snow exclaimed. "Swineheart's autopsy said the man from Oz was killed at half past and there was no way Blue could have gotten all the way there in twenty minutes in that state." Bigby shrugged and sipped his fourth whiskey of the evening. "It's not impossible Snow", then as he caught her angry stare, "but it seems doubtful, plus why would the kid bring the trumpet?" Satisfied Snow, who was feeling a little tipsy herself rested her chin in her palm and shut her eyes.

It was clear then that Blue was being set up. But why? She tapped her fingers on her cheek and tried to think of something that might have been overlooked, struggling as Bigby began running his rough fingers over her free hand. She sighed a little and listened to the conversations that filled the diner.

_"I'm sure he's cheating on me..."_

_"I didn't want onions on this!..."_

_"That's quite a gale brewing up out there..."_

Snow's eyes snapped open as she tried to remember something, her head was being to ache a bit but she knew she was on the cusp of something. "What was it that Bluebeard said the man said, something about a good witch and an evil wind?" Bigby frowned and nodded slowly, twiddling a cigarette between his fingers. "Yeah, something like that? Why, what are you thinking?" Suddenly it clicked and she slapped her palm to her forehead.

"We are so _stupid. _Bluebeard is so stupid! The man wasn't talking about the _weather _Bigby! It was a _Gale! _As in Dorothy Gale! From Oz!" Snow was halfway between standing and sitting, trying to drag Bigby to the point so when it finally landed she was beside herself. "Jesus Snow...we are stupid," he grumbled "perhaps we should have another chat with Bufkin, and probably Bluebeard" he said and she detected a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Do you think it could wait until the morning? I'm probably as drunk as Bufkin right now...plus we haven't had one night home together this week..." she pouted a little then squeezed his hand. He ran a hand over his face but she could sense it was an act, and smiled when he suggested it was probably a good idea to get some proper rest. As they left, dazed by their lust and alcohol Snow apologised as she bumped into a girl with long red hair. Not paying much attention she and Bigby headed home.

* * *

The red headed woman watched them turn the corner and followed a little then stopped as she reached the same corner. Waiting for a moment she then crossed the street and walked along the row of shops until she came to a window full of shoes. The Glass Slipper sign glowed above her and illuminated her freckled face in the window. A cold hard face stared back until a grin spread across it.

After taking a quick glance to make sure the coast was clear she dropped a little trinket through the letter box of the shop door then spun on her heel and started making long strides towards the tall building the tipsy couple had entered. Giving it a quick glance she stuffed her hands deeper into her pockets and began counting down from sixty.

* * *

Snow's attention was otherwise engaged by the lips of the sheriff when an enormous crash shook the building, and she emitted a small scream when two of her windows cracked under the pressure.

Meeting Bigby's gaze she broke their kiss, her bright blue eyes wide a dinner plates and whispered, "Was that you?" He cocked an eyebrow and pecked her lips again before rolling off of her and wrapping a sheet around his lower half. She followed, a little breathlessly as he tiptoed in between the glass and looked out over onto Bullfinch Street.

Muttering curse words he began scrambling around the room to find close and Snow could only cover her mouth in shock. Bullfinch Street now had a great big whole in it.


End file.
